Limpopo-Lipadi Blog

All the signs are that the wild dog pups are growing up fast! The trail cameras are recording them outside the den for longer periods of time, throughout most of the day, and up to all sorts! Ears are growing up, snouts are pushing out and legs lengthening as they transform from the balls of fur they were just a few weeks back into the rangy adults we know well.

Although still happy to be within close proximity of the adults, especially if there's a chance of some milk, they are becoming increasingly confident readying themselves for the time when the pack will leave the den site and they will have to roam with them. 

At that point the pups will be especially vulnerable as they will still not be fully grown and will lag behind the leggier adults, especially when they hunt. This can leave them vulnerable to other predators who won't think twice if the chance comes to grab a meal and diminish a rival species' numbers at the same time.

But that time must come and perhaps there will be a last image like the one above, where the pups realise they must follow the last adult off into the bush on the next stage of their lives?

The last couple of days has brought another tranche of images from the wild dog den on Limpopo-Lipadi, such as the shot above showing the pups being encouraged to explore by one of the adults.

Although still suckling (see image above) you can clearly see their legs and snouts starting to lengthen into the characteristic adult shapes and their ears are growing too. There have been some lovely moments of the pups at play captured - in the image below you can see a pair practising hunting skills, critical for their life in the future.

There has also been a lot of interaction seen between adult dogs and the pups, such as the picture underneath.

Our gallery has over 70 new shots since the last blog so why not check it out for more images of the pups exploring the den site as well as the adults giving the camera a closer inspection!

The latest images from the wild dog den are just in and show up to four pups at a time, meaning we have a litter of at least this size. All appear to be active and healthy and exploring around the site and will probably be around 5 weeks old at this point. Recently the adults moved the den site a short distance - quite a common occurrence. In the next few weeks they will be weaned onto the solid food brought back by the pack from kills and shortly afterwards will begin moving further and further from the den following the adults as they hunt. But for now the adults remain on alert when at the den as young pups can be vulnerable to other predators if they wander too far from protection. 

We have set up a new image gallery on the website to hold all the updated images caught of the pups and activity at the den. There are several more photos there showing the pups at play and interacting with the pack - why not take a look?

Limpopo-Lipadi is thrilled, excited and proud to announce that our most recent litter of wild dog pups have been seen for the very first time! We have suspected that they were underground for some time, but at 16.34 on Sunday 10th June 2012 the trail cameras located at the den site clicked into action and recorded the first shots, shown in this blog, of the brand new pups emerging from the den for the very first time. The shot above is the first captured clearly showing a tiny pup crawling up the sandy tunnel towards an one of the parents while the other keeps watch.

Encouraged by the adult it keeps on coming, perhaps moving slowly out of caution, getting used to all the new smells in the outside world. 3 minutes later it has nearly reached the lip of the tunnel!

A minute later and no sooner have the first two pups made it above ground then a third can be seen following bravely in their path. So there are definitely at least three pups!

By now the first pup is starting to explore its new surroundings closely chaperoned by the parent dogs while other adults patrol the vicinity - the pack vigilant for any threat to the new pups. 

Moments later the pups are nowhere to be seen but the adults are on alert staring into the bush - what has startled them and led them to hide the pups back underground? Perhaps they have picked up a scent on the breeze or alarm call in the distance? 

Whatever it was, just over 10 minutes later the danger has apparently passed and the parents are once again encouraging their offspring to leave the den in the late afternoon sunshine.

A pup can just be seen emerging from the tunnel with the parents watching closely.

And what a greeting it receives as it again leaves the den!

Now the exploring begins again and some of the other adults arrive for a closer look.

There will be many more pictures to follow over the coming days and weeks as the pups spend more and more time outside of the den, interact with the other adults dogs, are weaned onto solid food and take their first trips deeper into the bush. But for now they are just small bundles of fur taking those first steps in an unfamiliar world.

If you've enjoyed seeing these first images - more evidence of how strong and successful our breeding pack is - then do share them with friends!

Keep checking back on the blog for more updates from the den!